Question

Why are thermometers that are used in weather stations shielded from the sunshine? What does a thermometer measure if it is shielded from the sunshine and also if it is not?

a) Shielding prevents radiation interference; Thermometer measures air temperature.

b) Shielding prevents convection interference; Thermometer measures wind speed.

c) Shielding prevents conduction interference; Thermometer measures humidity.

d) Shielding prevents evaporation interference; Thermometer measures cloud cover.

Answer 1

Thermometers used in weather stations are shielded from the sunshine to prevent radiation interference and obtain accurate air temperature measurements.

Step-by-step explanation:

Thermometers used in weather stations are shielded from the sunshine because sunlight can cause inaccurate temperature measurements. When a thermometer is shielded from the sunshine, it is able to measure the air temperature more accurately. The shield prevents radiation interference, which means that the thermometer is not affected by the heat from direct sunlight.

If a thermometer is not shielded from the sunshine, it will measure the combined effect of air temperature and net radiative heat gain from the sun. This means that the reading will be higher than the actual air temperature, as it includes the additional heat absorbed from the sun's radiation.